Grate for closing a drain and similar

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a grate for closing a drain and similar. The inventive grate comprises an internal elastically deformable grid ( 2 ) provided with a locking pin ( 8 ) arranged on the free end thereof. Said locking pin is used for connecting the deformable grid to a frame ( 7 ) and is arranged under the external solid edge ( 9 ) of the grid in such a way that it is invisible from outside when it is incorporated into the frame ( 7 ). Said invention is used for a road network.

The present invention concerns a grate that makes it possible to closedrains, for example.

A grate is known that is intended to be mounted in a frame for closing ahole in a road and comprising interlaced grids, two external grids atthe end of the grate being elastically deformable with respect to theother grids so that the grate can be fixed elastically in the frame.Each end grid is attached tightly to the grate by its two ends, betweenwhich a pin is attached that can be hooked into a notch arranged in theframe.

To take the grate out of its frame, a tool such as a crowbar isintroduced between the frame and one of the end grids, which deforms inthe direction of an adjacent grid in such a way as to move the pin outof its notch.

This known grate has the disadvantage that the tool necessary forextracting the grate involves a risk of damaging this elasticallydeformable end grid since this tool acts directly on this grid. Inaddition, the locking pin of each external elastically deformable gridis visible from the outside in the installed position of the grate inits frame, which makes it possible for people with bad intentions toknow immediately the means for locking the grate in its frame and toopen the grate fraudulently. Finally, during the manufacturing processat the foundry for such grates, when they are loose together into therecovery vat, they can bump against each other with the risk ofdamaging, in particular, the locking pins present on the externalelastically deformable grids.

The present invention has the goal of eliminating the disadvantagesabove of the known grates.

For this reason, the invention suggests a grate that is intended to bemounted in a frame for closing a drain or similar and comprisinginterlaced grids, at least one of the grids of the grate beingelastically deformable with respect to the other grids and comprising apin that can be locked to the frame, so that the grate will be fixedelastically in the frame, and which is characterized in that theelastically deformable grid is an internal grid of the grate and has onefree end comprising the locking pin that can be locked to the frame, sothat the grate will be fastened elastically in the frame and that ischaracterized in that the deformable elastic grid is an internal grid ofthe grate and has a free end comprising the locking pin that is locatedbelow an exterior solid edge of the gate extending transversally to thedeformable elastic grid in such a way that the pin will be a protectedpart, on one hand, and on the other, practically invisible from theoutside in the mounted position in the frame.

Preferably the grate comprises a second elastically deformable internalgrid having at its free end a pin for locking to the frame that islocated below a solid exterior edge of the grate, opposite the solidexterior edge for protection of the pin of the first internal grid andextending transversally to the second elastically deformable grid, insuch a way as to allow the grate to be fixed elastically in the frame,independently of their relative orientations.

The grate comprises a sheet made up in a general manner of parallelgrids comprising the two elastically deformable internal grids and oftransverse grids and each locking pin is an extension of thecorresponding internal grid and offset toward the bottom relative to theexternal surface of this grid so that it can be arranged under thecorresponding solid external edge of the grate and of which the externalsurface is in the same plane as that of the internal grid.

Each locking pin engages elastically with force in a part with the shapeof a locking hook attached to the corresponding internal face of thelateral wall of the frame, and located close to one corner of thisframe.

Each locking pin comprises a curved guiding ramp elongated with a freeend with rounded pin engaging into the part with the shape of a lockinghook at the free end that is also rounded, making it possible toelastically unlock the pin from the part with the shape of a hook at thetime of removal of the grate from the frame to maintain its openposition.

The grate can be removed from the frame by one side or its opposite sideby introduction of a tool, such as a crowbar, in the space existingbetween the frame and the external grid of the grate adjacent to theinternal elastically deformable grid and exercising on the external grida lifting and unlocking force on the grate.

The grate comprises four support feet located at the four corners of thegrate, respectively, that are each maintained in contact on a seatingsurface located in one corner of the frame by the locking forceexercised by the two parts with the shape of a hook on the two lockingpins.

Once unlocked on one side or the other, the grate can pivot around itsopposite side relative to the frame in order to be held in the frame atan angular open position of around 120°.

Advantageously, the grate is held in the frame in its open position bytwo of its support feet located on one side and blocked in contact withthe two upright walls of the frame, respectively, of which one is madeup by one of the parts with the shape of a locking hook.

The grate can be removed directly and completely from the frame afterunlocking one of the two locking pins.

The locking pins are diagonally opposed.

The parallel and transverse grids of the grate define, on one side ofsame, parallel openings for passage of flowing water and on the otherside transverse openings for passage of flowing water and the grate isfastened in the frame in such a way that the parallel openings will bearranged on the sidewalk side and the transverse openings will bearranged on the roadway side, independently of the fastening directionof the frame in the roadway.

The invention will be better understood and other goals,characteristics, details and advantages of same will appear more clearlyin the course of the explanatory description that will be given inreference to the attached schematic drawings, given solely by way ofexample, that illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the grate of the invention in itsposition fastened in its frame;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to the one in FIG. 1 and showingthe lifting of one side of the grate from its frame using an assemblytool;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view representing the grate in a position withone side opened;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view representing the grate in the open positionof the side of the frame opposite the one in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view along arrow V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view along arrow VI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway and enlarged view along arrow VII in FIG.1 showing the grate in locked position in its frame; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and represents a locking pin inposition before it is hooked into its corresponding locking hook whenthe grate is simply placed on the frame.

With reference to the figures, grate 1 according to the inventionessentially comprises a sheet of parallel grids 2 coming from thefoundry with parallel transverse grids 3, grids 2 and 3 defining betweenthem parallel openings 4 located on one side of the grate, paralleltransverse openings 5 located on the opposite side of the grate andintermediate parallel transverse openings 6 located essentially in thecenter of this grate. The openings 4 to 6 make it possible to evacuatethe flowing waters.

Grate 1 is fastened elastically in a frame 7, in the present case with arectangular shape, connected to a roadway (not shown) to close a drain,it naturally being understood that it could be used to close a manholein the roadway.

According to the invention, the grate 1 comprises two internal grids 2that are elastically deformable with respect to the other grids 2 andmaking possible immobile fastening of the grate in the frame 7.

The two elastically deformable grids 2 are located opposite each other,being adjacent to two external end grids 2, respectively, located closeto the walls making up the length of the frame 7 when the grate 1 isfastened in the latter.

The two elastically deformable grids 2 are connected at each of theirends of a transverse grid 3 and have, on their respective opposite freeends, two pins 8 that can be locked to the frame 7, as will be seenlater and which are pointed in opposite directions to each other in thedirection parallel to the length of the frame in such a way as to beessentially diagonally opposed.

Each locking pin 8 is located in an extension of the correspondinginternal grid 2 and is offset toward the bottom, relative to theexternal surface of this grid, in order to be arranged under thecorresponding solid external edge 9 of the grate 1, and of which theexternal surface is located in the sane plane as that of the internalgrid 2. The two solid external edges 9 of the grate start from twodiagonally opposed corners, respectively, of the grate and extendparallel in opposite directions over a determined distance from one sideof the grate, each of these solid edges 9 being intended to meet acrossfrom the part of the longitudinal wall of the frame 7 when the grate isfastened in it. Each locking pin 8, being engaged under the solidexternal edge 9 of the grate, and extending along a length that isessentially equal to the length of this edge, is thus protected againstshocks when the grates are manufactured in the foundry. In fact, sinceeach locking pin 8 is located immediately below its solid external edge9 and is thus protected from the outside when the grates are arrangedloosely in a recovery vat after manufacturing, the locking pins do nothave to be subjected to shocks when the grates bump into each other. Infact, when the grate 1 is fastened in the frame 7, each locking pin 8 isnot simply protected from the outside by the edge 9, but is alsopractically invisible from the outside, thus making access to thelocking pin more difficult for persons with bad intentions.

Each locking pin 8 can forcefully engage elastically in a part with theshape of a locking hook 10 that is attached to the internal face of thelongitudinal wall of the frame 7 and located close to one corner of theframe, the two parts with the shape of a hook 10 naturally being locatedin the areas of the two diagonally opposed corners of this frame. Eachpart with the shape of a hook 10 extends essentially perpendicularlyfrom a seating surface 11, which itself is perpendicular to thelongitudinal wall of the frame 7.

As can be seen better from FIGS. 7 and 8, each locking pin 8 whichextends approximately perpendicular below its external solid edge 9,comprises a curved ramp 8 a that ensures the guiding of the pin 8 on therounded upper edge 10 a of the part with the shape of a locking hook 10and a free upper end with the shape of a rounded jaw 8 b intended to beforcefully engaged by locking in the part with the shape of a hook 10 asshown in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows the position of each locking pin 8 whenthe grate 1 is simply placed in the frame 7 before exercising thedownward force on the grate that makes it possible for the locking pinsto be fastened into their respective locking hooks 10. FIG. 8 thus showsthat the jaw 8 b of each locking pin 8 is in contact with the upperrounded end edge 10 a of the part with the shape of a locking hook 10.In addition, the rounded parts of the jaw 8 b of pin 8 and the end 10 aof the part with the shape of a hook 10 cooperate in such a way as tofacilitate the unlocking of the pin 8 from the part 10 at the time offorceful lifting of the corresponding end of the grate with the use ofan assembly tool, such as a crowbar 12.

The grate 1 also comprises four support feet 13 located in the fourcorners of the grate, respectively, and which come to rest,respectively, on the four seating surfaces 11 located at each corner ofthe frame 7 when the grate is fastened in this frame. The two parts withthe shape of a locking hook 10 respectively exercise a force on the twolocking pins 8 that keeps the support feet 13 in contact with theseating surfaces 11.

The grate also comprises four other support feet 14 attached to the endsof two transverse plates 15 extending perpendicularly below the uppersurface of the grate 1 at the level of each parallel internal grid 2adjacent to the corresponding elastically deformable internal grid 2. Inlocked position of the grate 1 in the frame 7, the four support feet 14are maintained in contact, by locking means 8 and 10, respectively onfour seating surfaces 16 as an extension of the seating surfaces 11 butat a level relatively lower than the latter. The feet 14 and thereinforcement plates 15 make it possible to prevent any deflection ordeformation of the grate when heavy vehicles pass over it. In addition,each locking pin 8 is again better protected at the time when the grateis manufactured, because of the fact that it is located between twosupport feet 13 and 14 that project more below the grate than the pin.

The installation of the grate and its removal from the frame 7 will nowbe explained.

Once the frame 7 is put in place and fastened on a roadway, for example,all that is necessary is to position the grate 1 straight on the frame7.

The locking pins 8 will then come into contact, respectively, on theupper ends of the parts with the shape of a locking hook 10 as shown inFIG. 8 and, due to the effect of a force exercised on at least one ofthe ends of the grate, the locking pins 8 are forcefully introducedelastically into their respective hooks 10. FIG. 7 also shows, in brokenlines, the elastic deformation to which each grid 2 is subjected at thetime of forceful engagement of the pin 8 in its locking hook 10. Theelastic deformation of each internal grid 2 is made possible due to thefact that the grate is made of cast spheroidal graphite.

To remove the grate 1 from its frame 7, it is only necessary tointroduce the tool 12 into the space existing between the frame 7 andone of the parallel end grids 2 to lift the corresponding side of grate1, as shown in FIG. 2, and forcefully unlock the pin 8 from its lockinghook 10. In that way, the grate 1 can be lifted manually by grasping theexternal grid 2 and it can pivot with respect to the frame 7 with itsopposite side until it is brought into its open position shown in FIG. 3in which it is maintained, at an angular open position of around 120°,relative to the frame 7, by the two feet 13 located on the pivoting sideof the grate and of which the free ends are braced in contact, on onehand, on the part with the shape of a hook 10 and on the other, on anupright wall 17 attached to the longitudinal wall of the frame 7opposite the frame 10 and extending perpendicularly above thecorresponding seating surface 11. In that way, the grate 1 is blocked inits open position by being in contact, with its corresponding side, onthe two opposite seating surfaces 11. In its open position, the grate 1can be released from this position and pulled out completely by liftingit from its frame 7. It is also possible to disengage the grate 1totally and directly from the frame 7 at the time of unlocking one ofthe pins from its locking hook 10.

As can be seen from the preceding, the grate 1 can invariably beextracted from one side or the other using tool 12 to unlock thecorresponding pin 8 from its locking hook 10 and pivoting the grate onits opposite side to open in the direction shown in FIG. 3 or to open inthe other direction shown in FIG. 4. It is obvious that when the grateis unlocked on one side, the lifting of this side of grate 1 allows anautomatic disengagement of the other locking pin from its associatedlocking hook 10.

In addition, the direction of installation of the grate 1 relative tothe frame 7 can be carried out independently of their relativeorientations. Thus if the frame 7 is not normally fastened in theroadway according to a specific orientation, the grate 1 cannevertheless be fastened in it, due to the specific arrangement of thelocking means 8, 10. In a case where the grate 1 whose parallel openings4 have to be arranged on the sidewalk side, independently of thedirection of installation of the frame 7 in the roadway, the grate 1could always be fastened in it in such a way that the openings 4 wouldeffectively be located on the sidewalk side, the openings 5 beinglocated on the roadway side. Thus the frame 7 can be arranged withoutany specific restriction. In the same way, if the frame 7 is arranged inthe roadway with specific orientation instructions, the grate can befastened in one direction or other in this frame, if such a grate is ofa type comprising parallel and transverse grids defining regularopenings oriented in the same direction.

In contrast to the known grates, the removal of the grate from its frameis carried out using a tool that does not act directly on theelastically deformable grid, but on the rigid external end grid adjacentto the elastically deformable internal grid, which completely eliminatesany risk of damage to the latter.

1. A grate mounted in a frame, the grate comprising: interlaced grids,at least one of the grids of the grate being elastically deformable withrespect to the other grids; wherein the grate includes a locking pinthat releasably engages the frame so that the grate is elastically fixedin the frame, wherein the elastically deformable grid is an internalgrid of the grate and at a free end of the grate the locking pin islocated below a solid external edge of the grate and the locking pinextends in a direction which is transverse to the direction in which thesolid external edge extends.
 2. Grate according to claim 1, furthercomprising a second elastically deformable internal grid having at afree end of the second elastically deformable internal grid a lockingpin that releasably engages the frame and which is located below anothersolid external edge of the grate, opposite to the solid external edgefor protecting the pin of the first internal grid and extending in adirection which is transverse to the direction in which another solidexternal edge extends.
 3. Grate according to claim 2, further comprisingtwo parallel internal elastically deformable grids, wherein each lockingpin is an extension of the two internal elastically deformable grids andthe locking pins are offset toward a bottom with respect to the externalsurface of the elastically deformable grids so that the locking pins fitunder the corresponding solid external edge of the grate.
 4. Grateaccording to claim 3, wherein the grids on one side of the grate defineopenings for passage of flowing water that are orientated transverselyto openings on the other side of the grate.
 5. Grate according to claim2, wherein a space is provided between the frame and the external gridof the grate adjacent to the internal elastically deformable grid. 6.Grate according to claim 2, wherein the grate pivots at a side relativeto the frame until the grate is held in the frame at an angular openposition of around 120°.
 7. Grate according to claim 6, wherein thegrate is retained in the frame in said open position by two support feetlocated on the same side and blocked in contact on two upright walls,respectively of the frame and of which one is made up by a part with theshape of a locking hook.
 8. Grate according to claim 2, wherein thelocking pins are essentially diagonally opposed.
 9. Grate according toclaim 1, wherein the locking pin engages elastically with force into apart with the shape of a locking hook that is attached to an internalface of the corresponding lateral wall of the frame and located close toone corner of the corresponding lateral wall of frame.
 10. Grateaccording to claim 9, wherein the locking pin comprises a curved guidingramp elongated by a free end with a rounded pin engaging into the partwith the shape of a locking hook at the free end that is also roundedand allowing an elastic unlocking of the pin from the part with theshape of a hook at the time of removal of the grate from the frame tomaintain its open position.
 11. Grate according to claim 9, furthercomprising four support feet located at the four corners of the graterespectively, and each is maintained in contact on the seating surfacelocated in one corner of the frame by a locking force exercised by thetwo parts with the shape of a hook on the two locking pins.
 12. Grateaccording to claim 1, wherein the grate is unattached from the frame byrelease of the locking pin from the frame.